The Van-Far R-I School District Board of Education approved the fiscal year 2025-26 tax rate at the Aug. 21 meeting.

Trustees set the tax levy as proposed at $4.2095, with $2.7500 for General Fund #1, $0.6109 for Debt Service Fund #3 and $0.8486 for Capital Projects Fund #4. Last year’s overall levy was $4.5717. 

“(Taxpayers) won’t pay as much to us as the changes come mostly commercially,” Superintendent Natalie Gibson told the Ledger, adding that the district received $15 million more in commercial taxes than last year. 

Gibson said the state auditor’s office found the district had to practice the Hancock Amendment, which is intended to keep the overall funding levels neutral - that is, no windfall for higher assessed valuation because of reassessment and likewise no major reduction in revenue if assessed valuation decreases substantially, the superintendent's summary stated.

“In general, if the local assessed valuation is growing above the Consumer Price Index (CPI) after subtracting growth from new construction and personal property, it will push the operating levy ceiling down. If the district has a decreasing assessed valuation, it will drive the operating levy ceiling up, but never above the voter approved maximum authorized levy,” Gibson’s summary stated.

In summary information sent to the Ledger, Gibson said assessed values increased $26,181,560 (12.07%) to $113,609,600. Real estate new construction was $5,009,799 and personal property growth was $8,990,508, both of which are subtracted out of the AV growth. The percentage increase in adjusted valuation is 13.9% and the Consumer Price Index is 2.9%, which pushes the ceiling down.

Gibson said in an email that, in Van-Far’s case, the local assessed valuation grew above the Consumer Price Index after subtracting growth from new construction and personal property, pushing the operating levy ceiling down. The district's operating ceiling is $3.5986, compared to $3.9608 last year. This is the amount the district "operates" off of for salaries, benefits and day-to-day costs, Gibson said, adding this also includes projects. The other $0.6109 of the tax rate is used specifically for the district's debt from previous bond projects.

The district began the school year with 550 students, down 25 students overall from August 2024, Gibson told the Ledger.

In other developments, Jim Hinson of Education Governance Leadership Association (EGL) gave the board some details of how the group will assist the district in redefining its strategic plan over the next few months by conducting surveys for community members and students. Other members of his Hinson’s team will visit district campuses on Sept. 30 to talk with every district staff member about the district’s current status and “basically their hopes and dreams for Van-Far,” the summary started, adding that in the end, the goal is to develop a plan with five to six goals that will drive the district’s work for the next few years that will connect to district monthly board meetings and other activities and investments.

During a maintenance update, trustees heard the district will replace the roof on the weightroom because of leakage that was discovered during the heavy rains received this summer. 

Also at the meeting, trustees, among other moves:

• Approved a resolution authorizing the redemption of $510,000 principal amount of general obligation bonds, series 2017, saving the district $21,990. 

• Accepted the fuel and oil bid from MFA.    
• Approved seeking bids for pest control.  
• Approved the 2025 facilities plan, which is a summary of the status of district buildings and a list of the projects the district wants to accomplish in the next one to three years, four to six years and seven years and beyond. The items would be considered to potentially be on a list for budgeting purposes, possibly for capital projects and or bond issues.